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From Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan:
Korakuen is sold out to watch Cobb’s final match and the last few matches of Tetsuya Naito and BUSHI.
1 - Tiger Mask, Yuji Nagata, Satoshi Kojima and Masatora Yasuda vs. Daiki Nagai, Katsuya Murashima, Tomoaki Honma and Togi Makabe
Nagata forces Nagai to tap out to the Nagata Lock II.
2 - Master Wato, YOH, Boltin Oleg and Toru Yano vs. Kosei Fujita, Robbie Eagles, Hartley Jackson and Ryohei Oiwa
Oleg pins Jackson after a Kamikaze.
3 - Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Jeff Cobb
Tanahashi comes out first, giving Cobb his final stage in a New Japan ring.
Cobb was emotional, trying to hold back tears.
Cobb hit a Slingblade. Tanahashi tried and misses a standing moonsault and almost landed on his head. Scary.
Tanahashi with a dropkick to the knee and a Dragon Screw. Cobb fought back with his power moves. Tanahashi reverses a Spin Cycle into a Slingblade. Cobb hits a Tour of the Islands, but does not go for the pin. Cobb picks up Tanahashi for another Tour of the Islands, but Tanahashi reverses into a cradle.
Tanahashi pins Cobb.
They exchange words after the match. They shake hands and hug. Tanahashi leaves the ring to give Cobb his time to say goodbye. United Empire comes to the ring.
Cobb thanks the staff behind the scenes who the fans don’t see. Cobb says that he got so many positive messages online but he should be thanking the fans. He thanks the United Empire. He said it is not goodbye, it is see you later. Cobb raises the crown one last time with United Empire. He shakes hands with the Japanese announcers and thanks the fans. Big ovation for Cobb.
4 - Gedo, Taiji Ishimori and Drilla Moloney vs. SHO, Ren Narita and SANADA
Lots of shenanigans by both teams.
Narita hits the Double Cross on Gedo and gets the pin.
5 - Ryusuke Taguchi, El Desperado and Hirooki Goto vs. Jakob Austin Young, Templario and Callum Newman
Taguchi pins Young with a cradle and a handful of tights.
6 - Elimination Match: TAKA Michinoku, YOSHI-HASHI, Taichi, Shota Umino and Yuya Uemura vs. BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi, Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi and Yota Tsuji
Massive pop for Naito.
BUSHI taps out to YOSHI-HASHI’s Butterfly Lock. BUSHI is eliminated.
YOSHI-HASHI is eliminated over the top rope.
Takagi and Umino eliminate each other over the top rope.
Uemura and Tsuji eliminate each other over the top rope.
Hiromu pins TAKA with the Hiromu Roll.
Hiromu is eliminated over the top rope.
Naito eliminates Taichi over the top.
Los Ingobernales de Japon wins the elimination match.
Naito thanks everyone in Korakuen Hall. BUSHI says lots of things happened this week but he is happy how it turned out. Naito says that they are on the Road to Wrestling Dontaku. He hopes everyone will tune in to watch.
He recites the LIJ Roll Call one last time in Korakuen Hall.
Thoughts of the New Japan Departures:
BUSHI: BUSHI has been a staple of the Jr. Division and Los Ingobernales de Japon for a long time. He has been a solid worker and was usually on the losing end of preview tag matches on undercards. They announced BUSHI as being a part of the Best of the Super Juniors in May, so those plans are out the window, and a replacement will need to be found.
Jeff Cobb: After Cobb and Callum Newman won the IWGP Tag Team Championship, Cobb was caught on camera mocking internet reports of him leaving New Japan. Well, those reports proved to be correct. It is a bad look for New Japan to put the belts on wrestler who was on the verge of leaving. Unless Cobb was given an offer he could not refuse. We will see where Cobb goes in the future.
The optics for New Japan and the IWGP Tag Title picture looks terrible after this situation. Callum Newman is in a tough spot, after earning his first New Japan Title, just to have Tag Belts stripped away. On April 26, YOSHI-HASHI and Hirooki Goto will face Great O-Khan and Callum Newman for the vacant IWGP Tag Team Championship. If Newman pins Goto to get back the Tag Titles, that will increase the possibility of Newman winning the World Title.
Newman's IWGP World Title opportunity against Hirooki Goto at Wrestling Dontaku 2025 on May 4 is coming up fast. New Japan seems to be building quickly around Newman. I hope Newman can handle the pressure. It should be a solid match, but will the fans believe that Newman can win?
Tetsuya Naito: A shocking development as one of top stars in New Japan will be gone from the company. Over the last few years, Naito has looked his age in the ring, he had missed ring time due to multiple injuries and surgeries, but still remains popular with the Japanese audience. Naito accomplished his goal of winning the IWGP World Title at Wrestle Kingdom, so there is nothing more for him left to do in New Japan. Naito in AEW or WWE does not look promising, due to his age and the language barrier. However, he could pop up in NOAH or DDT.
Los Ingobernales de Japon will be hurt by the loss of BUSHI and Naito. Shingo Takagi is still a force, and Yota Tsuji is the IWGP Global Champion. However, Naito was the heart and soul of LIJ. We will see how New Japan changes gears with these departures.
Wrestling Dontaku 2025 will take place over 2 nights on May 3 and May 4 in Fukuoka Japan. Night One will be headlined by Bullet Club War Dogs vs. House of Torture in a Dogpound Cage Match. Night Two is headlined by Hirooki Goto vs. Callum Newman for the IWGP World Title and Yuya Uemura vs. Yota Tsuji for the IWGP Global Title.
Thank you for reading.
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